# Stop Hatin' On Analogue Hygrometers!



## Herf N Turf (Dec 31, 2008)

Hiya fellers,

It seems there's a universal disdain for analogue hygrometers amongst the cigar community. I am absolutely certain that we have the Chinese to thank for this, since most of the El Cheapo humidors a lot of people buy come equipped with these worthless things.

The mechanism is typically made of a pot-metal coil, which expands and contracts based upon how much condensation occurs on the coil. They are inaccurate, to say the least. They cannot possibly know the temperature of the environment and all they can do is expand and contract, moving a tiny needle on a dial. Any hope they might have had to accurately measure rH is destroyed at the instant they are soldered to the fixing pin. They suck!

On the other hand, we didn't always have digital technology and ever since man started baking bread and making beer, we've needed a way to measure relative humidity. Man had to come up with ways of measuring rH accurately and that we did!

Examples of analogue hygrometers that actually work:


















This is a hair hygrometer. Boar's hair was used for centuries to accurately measure humidity and are still used by Adorini humidors of Italy:










This is a modern version of a West German hygrometer that my dad's used for over 35yrs:










I think analogue hygrometers are elegant and far more aesthetically pleasing than their digital counterparts. They hearken to a time gone by.

Good examples are still out there, but will cost you around what a digital certified instrument would.

Don't hate the needle and dial. They've served us well for a very long time.


----------



## ckay (May 10, 2010)

I don't hate the needle, I'd much prefer the look of a needle but the cost of one is insanely inhibitive.


----------



## Herf N Turf (Dec 31, 2008)

ckay said:


> I don't hate the needle, I'd much prefer the look of a needle but the cost of one is insanely inhibitive.


Think of them as investments. My dad bought his, circa 1964, for $12. It's now worth $600-800 at auction in it's condition.:mrgreen:


----------



## thebayratt (Jun 4, 2009)

I don't hate them. Like you said, the _cheap ones aren't worth a flop_. To get a decent analog that works is going to cost more than a digital if i'm not mistaken. So for that fact is why I go with my digitals, even though they are cheap ones, they work alot better than the two or three analogs I have thats been stuck on 75% ever since I calibrated them. 
My digitals may be off by a degree or degree and a half; but I know how much each are off.


----------



## ckay (May 10, 2010)

Herf N Turf said:


> Think of them as investments. My dad bought his, circa 1964, for $12. It's now worth $600-800 at auction in it's condition.:mrgreen:


That's awesome...what does your father use it for?


----------



## TonyBrooklyn (Jan 28, 2010)

Hate em never i love them i don't care if they work or not they look classy. Sort of like my Vette when i wash and wax it. Just sitting there it looks like its doing 200 MPH.:car:


----------



## Herf N Turf (Dec 31, 2008)

ckay said:


> That's awesome...what does your father use it for?


LOL! It hangs on the wall of his solarium. He takes his meals and tea, reads his paper and plays solitaire out there.


----------



## Cigary (Oct 19, 2007)

TonyBrooklyn said:


> Hate em never i love them i don't care if they work or not they look classy. Sort of like my Vette when i wash and wax it. Just sitting there it looks like its doing 200 MPH.:car:


That girl in your Avatar looks like she's doing 200MPH!:whoo:



Herf N Turf said:


> LOL! It hangs on the wall of his solarium. He takes his meals and tea, reads his paper and plays solitaire out there.


I can only apsire to that kind of greatness.


----------



## Padurosa (Jul 23, 2010)

HnT is right...

For years in the lab I worked while in the university; we used a hair analog hygrometer, my teacher used to say he didn't trusted the digitals and all this "eletronic stuff"... I wonder if was that what made him to be retired (although he did teached me a lot of good stuff).


----------



## ckay (May 10, 2010)

Cigary said:


> I can only apsire to that kind of greatness.


Indeed


----------



## fatboy38 (Apr 7, 2010)

Herf N Turf said:


> Hiya fellers,
> 
> It seems there's a universal disdain for analogue hygrometers amongst the cigar community. I am absolutely certain that we have the Chinese to thank for this, since most of the El Cheapo humidors a lot of people buy come equipped with these worthless things.
> 
> ...


Any links where I can purchase one of these fine instruments?


----------



## Herf N Turf (Dec 31, 2008)

fatboy38 said:


> Any links where I can purchase one of these fine instruments?


Here's the second from the top.

Here's the current model of the one my dad has. It's on sale for $195. The are usually over $300

Here's a Selsi Hair Hygrometer, suitable for desktops. I love that is says "Normal" at 65%! Unfortunately, it's an antique and no longer made.










You can get Adorini Hair Hygrometers by themselves too.


----------



## pips (Jul 29, 2010)

Herf N Turf said:


> Here's the second from the top.
> 
> Here's the current model of the one my dad has. It's on sale for $195. The are usually over $300
> 
> ...


That is some serious analogue hygrometer **** right there.* mg:*


----------



## TonyBrooklyn (Jan 28, 2010)

Cigary said:


> That girl in your Avatar looks like she's doing 200MPH!:whoo:
> 
> That one on the back of your Motor Cycles avatar is no slouch either.mg:


----------



## fiddlegrin (Feb 8, 2009)

It looks Like Don's Model's butt would pass the pencil test! :jaw: :lol:


Sham-WOWZA!!!" :faint:


----------



## Behike007 (Sep 13, 2010)

I love the look of analog hygrometers ... any particular maker/brand recommendation?


----------



## DFisk (Jul 27, 2010)

These are some nice gages.


----------



## Athion (Jul 17, 2010)

The Andorini is listed at $41 Adorini Hair Hygrometer by Adorini, More Accessories (Cigars) at EastCameron.com

Correct me if I'm wrong, but 6cm is the size of most of the round POS hygros in the Humidors, isn't it?

I'd HAPPILY take that over any of the digitals Ive seen. Like that grey Xikar I mean sure its the same size and super accurate and shows the temp too, but it looks like ... well, crap


----------



## kwiebe (Sep 10, 2010)

I'd like to find a replacement for the cheap analog that came with my cheap humidor (hehe). But I think the Andorini one may be too large. The hole in my humi is 1 7/8 and 6 cm is 2.3 inches. Unless that spec is only for the face of the Andorini...anyone know?


----------



## Kevin Keith (Jan 24, 2010)

TonyBrooklyn said:


> Cigary said:
> 
> 
> > That one on the back of your Motor Cycles avatar is no slouch either.mg:
> ...


----------



## metinemre (Jul 26, 2014)

I`ll give life to this thread. Is there a quality replacement analog hygrometer for the ones that come in prestige/quality humidors yet???


----------



## JustinThyme (Jun 17, 2013)

Yes, The Adorini hair hygrometer. It comes in two sizes and the link below is the only place I have found them. They come from Germany.

Hygrometers & thermometers - Free Shipping & Reviews

The large one was just a little to big for the hole I already had in the humi I put it in so I had to use a dremmel tool with a sanding drum to enlarge the hole a bit to get the Hygro and a rubber seal in with it. The HYgro was bawlz on right out of the box, no calibration necessary.


----------



## metinemre (Jul 26, 2014)

Now i`m looking for a large one aswell, actually anything is fine as long as it is accurate.


----------



## NorCalJaybird (Sep 2, 2014)

JustinThyme said:


> Yes, The Adorini hair hygrometer. It comes in two sizes and the link below is the only place I have found them. They come from Germany.
> 
> Hygrometers & thermometers - Free Shipping & Reviews
> 
> The large one was just a little to big for the hole I already had in the humi I put it in so I had to use a dremmel tool with a sanding drum to enlarge the hole a bit to get the Hygro and a rubber seal in with it. The HYgro was bawlz on right out of the box, no calibration necessary.


It looks as though they don't sell that one any longer.. Hoo HUM....

Cheers
Jay


----------



## shadowcam (Sep 7, 2013)

Some of those look fantastic. My experience with non-digital hygrometers have always been the cheapies and therefore not worth my time. Might have to invest in a fancy one to class up the humi a bit.


----------



## zabhatton (Aug 1, 2011)

Excellent piece.


----------

